Process of forming dough on a corrugated paperboard preform

ABSTRACT

To facilitate baking a frozen dough product in an oven having a rack formed of aligned bars, the dough product is formed over an oven-safe paper sheet which has a plurality of die-cut holes. This sheet serves as a baking substrate and obviates the need for a baking pan. The paper sheet is formed with the dough product, and the dough extends through the holes and locks the sheet to the dough. The end user may thus remove the frozen dough product together with the sheet from a backing preform and place the assembly on an oven rack for baking. As the dough thaws the crust will loose its stiffness. The sheet however, will prevent the more pliable crust from distending through the oven rack before the dough has become baked and rigid. The sheet forms a backing which restrains flow of the dough, while at the same time the holes permit the escape of gases from the bottom of the crust and ensure uniform baking. Furthermore, the holes allow direct radiant heating of the dough product through the paper sheet. The position and size of the holes may be adjusted to achieve desired uniformity of baking of the dough product. The finished baked dough product, such as dinner rolls or a pizza crust, may be removed from the oven with the sheet attached thereto, and the baked dough product may be served directly from the sheet.

This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/268,998, filedJun. 30, 1994 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,860.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to dough baked goods and bakingaccessories in general, and in particular to preformed dough foodstuffsprepared for cooking and consumption at a later time and articles forassisting in the baking of such foodstuffs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Freshly baked bread products have long been enjoyed by home consumersand restaurant patrons. Preparing pastries and bread products such aspizza crusts and rolls, however, requires ready supplies of perishablematerials, skill, and most importantly, time. To minimize mealpreparation times, home consumers have a need for preformed, frozendough products which may be placed in the consumer's home oven and bakedfor consumption. Likewise, to reduce labor costs and order preparationtimes, restaurants and pizzerias have a need for preformed breadproducts, in particular pizza crusts, which will allow the rapidpreparation of meals to order.

In the past, pizza crusts have been supplied to pizza makers and otherusers as prebaked, preformed frozen or refrigerated crusts, with thecheese and other toppings being added to the crust at the time of bakingor processing for further sale. Pizza crusts of this sort were typicallyformed by a die-stamping or sheeting process. In one process, the crustswere baked within a retaining ring or platen, and then packaged. Bypartially or completely baking the product prior to removal from thebaking pan the desired molded shape was preserved. A drawback ofprebaked bread products is that the final article is twice-baked anddoes not retain the moist rich texture and taste of a freshly-bakedproduct.

An attempt to preserve at least a semblance of freshness has been madeby providing pizza crusts with a central portion which is unbaked andfrozen. The unbaked preformed central portion when baked will rise acertain amount, and provides an improved texture and taste, althoughstill short of that of a freshly baked dough.

Frozen dough products when placed in a consumer's oven may deform overthe parallel bars of the oven rack and be subjected to uneven baking.However, baking on a solid tray or pan may restrict the escape of gasesfrom the dough, and inhibit ideal baking conditions.

What is needed is a preformed dough product such as a pizza crust whichmay be shaped to a desired shape and delivered in frozen form to an enduser for baking in an oven such that the product retains its shape andbaking qualities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The bread products and pizza crusts of the present invention are formedof proofed dough which is molded to a desired shape and frozen on apaperboard preform without being subjected to baking, allowing a frozenbread product to be formed in which the yeast has not been killed. Anoven-safe perforated paper baking substrate is positioned between thedough and the preform, and when the dough is pressed and formed onto thepreform, the baking substrate is engaged with the dough. The assembly ofdough, baking substrate and preform is then packaged and frozen fordelivery. The bread product consumer removes the frozen dough productand attached baking substrate from the preform and positions themtogether in an oven on the bars of an oven rack. The oven-safe papersheet prevents the dough product from distortion on the oven rack bars,while the perforations allow the escape of gases from the underside ofthe dough product, enabling proper baking. Furthermore, the perforationsare positioned to allow preferential radiant heating to particularregions of the baking product, to control relative baking rates andassure even baking of a nonuniform product.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a frozen doughproduct assembly which may be placed directly in an oven for bakingwithout the need for a pan.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a frozen doughproduct assembly which retains the shape of the dough product when bakedon an oven rack.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a doughproduct assembly which allows gases to escape from all sides of theproduct when baked in an oven.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide anarticle for controlling the radiant heat transmitted to a dough productwithin an oven to thereby selectibly control the baking of the productacross variant regions.

Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a pizza crust tray.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the tray of FIG. 1 loaded withcorrugated paperboard preforms onto which balls of dough have beenplaced.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the tray of FIG. 2 after the doughballs have been flattened.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the tray of FIG. 3 positionedbeneath a plurality of high pressure dough-forming dies.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the pizza crust and preform of FIG.4 which has been frozen for shipping and storage prior to baking.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the dough forming process of thisinvention.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the dough-forming die of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the dough being formedon the corrugated preform, showing an air-injection hole forfacilitating dough release.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of an alternativeembodiment dough-forming die and preform with dough formed thereon ofthis invention.

FIG. 10 is an isometric view of an alternative dough product formed inthe process of this invention.

FIG. 11 is an isometric view of another alternative dough product formedin the process of this invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another alternative dough productformed in the process of this invention.

FIG. 13 is an exploded isometric view of the baking substrate sheetwhich is positioned between the preform and crust and molded into thecrust for support of the baking dough product on an oven rack.

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of a baking substrate sheet of thisinvention.

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of an alternativeembodiment dough product assembly having a non-corrugated preform.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1-15, wherein like numbers refer tosimilar parts, a pizza crust forming apparatus 20 is shown schematicallyin FIG. 6. Pizza crusts 22 are formed in platens or trays 24, which maybe conveyed around a looped path by conventional means, such ashydraulic or pneumatically actuated pusher arms. Each tray 24, as shownin FIG. 1, has an array of circular openings 26 which accept corrugatedpaperboard preforms 28 therein. The openings 26 are blind holes whichare formed in the tray 24, and glow an array of preforms 28 to beconveyed simultaneously. The blind holes have sidewalls 52 whichsurround the preforms. The trays 24 are preferably formed of plasticsuch as Teflon or other low friction material. The pusher arms areactuated intermittently to advance the trays 24 in steps, with pausesbetween tray motions for operation of the apparatus on the preforms 28and dough deposited thereon.

As shown in FIG. 6, circular corrugated preforms 28 are loaded into thetrays 24 at a loading station 30. The preforms 28 may be manually set inposition, or may be dropped into place by an automatic dispenser. Fromthe loading station 30, the trays 24 are conveyed to a spray station 32where a vegetable oil is sprayed on to the preforms 28 to facilitatelater release of the crust 22 from the preform 28.

To facilitate baking of the crust or other dough product of thisinvention in an oven having racks formed of aligned bars, the doughproduct 22, such as the crust shown in FIG. 13, is formed over anoven-safe paper sheet 122 which later serves as a baking substrate. Thepaper sheet 122 is of a conventional oven-safe paper, such as iscommonly used with microwaved food products. For example, the paper maybe 13 to 15 thousandths of an inch thick SBS (solid bleached sulfate)paper with a 1/2 mil lamination of polyester material on one side, thepolyester being heat-laminated to the paper. The laminate will withstanda range of temperatures, going from less than freezing to 475° F. Allmaterials should be FDA approved. The polyester or other top surfaceserves as a release layer to facilitate removal of the baked productfrom the substrate.

As shown in FIG. 14, the sheet 122 has a plurality of die-cut holes 124and is formed with the dough product in the molding process as describedbelow. The sheet 122 is positioned on the preform 28 prior to pressingthe dough into shape. The sheet 122 is smaller in diameter than thepreform 28 and hence does not interfere with the locking of the dough tothe preform. The paper sheet 122 is thus formed with the crust 22, andthe dough of the crust extends through the holes 124 to the preform 28and locks the sheet 122 to the dough. The end user may thus remove thefrozen crust 22 together with the sheet 122 from the preform 28 andplace the assembly on an oven rack for baking. As the dough thaws the crust will loose its stiffness. The sheet 122, however, will prevent themore pliable crust from distending through the oven rack before thedough has become baked and rigid. The sheet 122 forms a backing whichrestrains flow of the dough, while at the same time the holes 124 permitthe escape of gases from the bottom of the crust and ensure uniformbaking. The finished baked crust may be removed from the oven with thesheet 122 attached thereto, and the crust may be served directly fromthe sheet. It should be noted that although a pattern of generallyradial slots has been illustrated, alternative patterns of slots, holes,and other shapes may also be used.

The trays 24 pass from the spray station 32 to a dough deposit station34, where balls of proofed dough 36 are dropped onto the preforms 28, asshown in FIG. 2. The balls 36 are supplied from a ball former 38 whichreceives proofed dough from the proofer 40. The ball former 38 andproofer 40 are conventional and well known in the art.

The trays 24 may move directly from the dough deposit station 34 to amolding station 42. However, to reduce the travel of the dies 44, thetrays 24 preferably pass first through a flattening station 46, whereflat plastic blocks reduce the height of the balls of dough 36 byflattening them onto the preforms 28, as shown in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 4, at the molding station 42, plastic dies 44, mountedon reciprocating hydraulic actuators, move vertically to engage withinthe openings 26 and to press against the dough ball 36 and form it atpressures in the range of from about 2,500 psi to about 3,200 psi into adesired molded shape. A preferred pressure is about 2,900 psi. As shownin FIG. 8, typically the molded shape will be a flat circular pizzacenter 48 with an upwardly extending peripheral pizza rim 50. In apreferred embodiment, the preforms 28 are smaller in diameter than theopenings 26, to allow a die 44 to extend into the opening between thevertical cylindrical sidewall 52 of the opening 26 and the circularpreform 28. A horizontal gap 53 is defined between the downwardlyextending lip 54 of the die 44 and the preform 28. The gap 53 isapproximately one-eighth of an inch between the preform and the die in apreferred embodiment. The preform 28 is preferably a die-cut corrugatedpaperboard or cardboard circle. As shown in FIG. 8, the preform 28 iscomprised of a top layer of paperboard 56, a bottom layer of paperboard58, and a central corrugated layer of paperboard 60. The corrugatedlayer 60 is bent in a generally sinusoidal configuration, and glued tothe top and bottom layers 56, 58, to define a plurality of parallelcorrugations 62 which open sidewardly from the preform 28. Thecorrugations 62 provide bulk and stiffness to the preform 28 withreduced weight. However, the process of this invention additionallyutilizes the corrugations 62 to secure the dough formed in the die 44 tothe preform 28 so that it will retain its desired molded shape once theelevated pressures within the die have been relieved.

Dough typically has elastic properties, and will have a tendency toretract away from the edges of the preform 28. The portions 64 of thedough which are pressed under the high pressure of the molding step intothe corrugations 62 retain the pizza rim 50 at the perimeter of thepreform 28. The engagement of the dough portions 64 with the sidewardlyopening corrugations counteracts the tendency of the dough to retract,and ensures that the desired dough molded shape is maintained until thedough can be frozen.

Once the dough has been molded into a pizza crust 22 air is injectedthrough channels 65 above the pizza rim 50 and the pizza center 48 tofacilitate release of the crust 22 from the die 44. The molded crusts 22are conveyed in the tray 24 from the molding station 42 to a dockingstation 66 where metal dies form an array of narrow diameter depressionsin the formed crust 22. This docking is conventional in the bakingindustry and facilitates better and more consistent baking and rising.

In a preferred embodiment the trays 24 have an array of four pin holes(not shown) which extend beneath the openings 26 through which ejectionpins extend to elevate the cardboard preforms and the raw crusts securedthereto out of the trays. The elevated preform-crust assemblies 67,shown in FIG. 5, may then be manually placed on a cart or rack fortransfer to a freezer 68, or they may be transferred to a separateconveyer which leads to a freezer. The crusts 22 may be filled withpizza ingredients prior to entering the freezer if the crusts areintended for purchase by an end consumer, or may be left unfilled if thecrusts are intended for pizzeria or other pizza-maker's use.

From the freezer 68 the dough product assemblies 120, consisting of thedough product 22, the baking substrate 122, and the preform 28, arepackaged at a packaging station 70, typically by being wrapped inplastic and stacked in boxes for freezer car shipment to the purchaser.

It is important to note that at no time is the crust 22 baked in full orin part. Because the dough is secured to the cardboard preform, it willretain its desired shape as it is conveyed from the molding station tothe freezer. By avoiding any baking the flavor and texture of the freshdough is preserved. In addition, a substantial savings in heating andcooling costs is realized. First, the energy required to bake the moldeddough prior to freezing is saved, and second, the energy required tocool down the baked dough is also conserved. Not only is the expense ofthe added heating and cooling saved, but also the capital expendituresfor an oven and a more powerful freezer are eliminated. In addition,Federal Environmental Protection Agency regulations in certain highpollution areas require bakeries to take costly emission abatementmeasures to address the concern of gas emissions from larger bakingovens. A bakery producing bread products of this invention does notproduce the baking gases which are subject to control, and henceeliminates expenses related to compliance. In short, the process of thisinvention allows not only an improved dough product, but allows thatproduct to be produced at reduced cost.

When it is desired to prepare the crust 22 for consumption, the frozencrust-baking substrate-cardboard preform assembly is removed from thefreezer, and the preform is separated from the crust 22 and the bakingsubstrate 122. The frozen crust and engaged baking substrate 122 areplaced in an oven and baked in a conventional manner. Because theproofed dough has been frozen without any baking, the yeast within thedough has never been subjected to elevated temperatures which would killthe yeast. Hence, in the baking process the dough will raise a certainamount before being fully baked. The result is a crust which maintainsmany of the properties of a freshly baked crust, while offering theconvenience and transportability of a frozen crust.

During baking, the openings 124 in the baking substrate 122 serve asinfrared radiation admitting apertures which allow the radiant heat ofthe oven to directly strike the dough, thus contributing to the rapidbrowning of the dough product and a crisper baked product. Prior artprepared dough products which were partially or completely baked priorto being frozen, are relatively stable and uniform when they reach theconsumer's oven. The dough product of this invention, however, is firstexposed to baking when it is placed, still frozen, into the consumer'soven. If conditions are not optimal in the consumer's oven, there is arisk that a frozen dough product will thaw unevenly prior to baking, andhence result in excessive moisture in some regions of the product. Forexample, in the pizza crust illustrated, there is a tendency for theouter region to rise and direct moisture to the central region of thecrust. To counteract areas of higher moisture, the holes in the bakingsubstrate, as shown in FIG. 14, reveal a greater area of the doughsurface beneath the central region, while the holes around the crustperiphery are spaced further from one another to block radiant heating.The end result is a more evenly baked bread product.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 15, a non-corrugated paperboard preform132 may also be employed in forming the dough products of thisinvention. The term "paperboard" is used herein to refer to any fibrouspaper product, including composite paper articles such as corrugatedmaterial, or single uncorrugated paper products. Recycled paperboard, orother stiff paper product may be employed as a preform. Although thenon-corrugated preform lacks openings which engage with the formed doughproduct 134, because the preform is of a diameter less than that of theforming die 44, dough will be extended between the sides of the die andthe generally vertical side wall 140 of the preform which extendsdownwardly from the top surface 138 of the preform. The extended portionof dough 136 locks around the perimeter of the preform, thus preventingthe formed dough from retracting inwardly on the top surface 138 of thepreform.

An alternative embodiment of the process of this invention employs apreform 100 which is nearly the same diameter as the opening 26 and amolding die 102 at the molding station which has a downwardly protrudingrib 104. The rib 104, shown in FIG. 9, is positioned above the preform100 so that when the die 102 is pressed down into the opening, dough isdistributed beneath the rib and is pressed into the preform by the rib.The rib 104 dimples the corrugated preform 100 and locks the dough inplace to hold the desired molded shape during transport and freezing ofthe dough as described above.

It should be noted that, although pizza crusts with raised rims havebeen illustrated as the dough product produced in the processes of thisinvention, flat pizza crusts and other types of bread products may alsobe prepared for freezing. Rolls or buns 106, as shown in FIG. 10, may bemolded on a rectangular preform 108. A rectangular baking substrate, notshown, may be positioned between the dough and the preform. Portions ofthe dough extend into the exposed corrugations of the preform 108 andlock the molded dough in place.

As another example, bread sticks 110, shown in FIG. 11, may be formedusing the process illustrated in FIG. 9 which employs a die with a ribwhich depresses portions of the dough into a depression in the preform112 surrounding the bread product. The bread sticks 110 may be formed onthe preform and frozen. Preferably the bread sticks are formed as asingle molded shape, with individual sticks joined by a narrow, reducedheight, bridge 114 of dough. When it is desired to prepare an individualbread stick, one may be separated from the group by breaking it offalong the bridge, and placing it in an oven for baking.

Another dough product is shown in FIG. 12. Generally circular rolls 130may be formed on a circular preform, and may be separated after baking.

It should be noted that bread products and other raised dough productsmay be formed in the process of this invention using a wide variety ofingredients and dough recipes. Furthermore, preforms of variousthickness and shape may be employed, including single and doublecorrugated paperboard.

It is understood that the invention is not limited to the particularembodiments disclosed and illustrated herein, but embraces such modifiedforms thereof as come within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:
 1. A process for forming dough on a paperboard preform; theprocess comprising:a) positioning a paperboard preform having aperimeter on a platen having an upwardly opening hole with a sidewall,such that the preform is positioned within the hole and a gap is definedbetween portions of the preform perimeter and the sidewall of the hole;b) placing a quantity of raw dough on the preform; c) positioning thedough on the preform beneath a die; d) pressing the die over the doughto form the dough into a desired shape and to force portions of thedough over the preform into the gap between the preform and the platensidewall, to thereby lock the formed dough to the preform perimeter; ande) freezing the formed dough on the preform without baking the dough. 2.The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of positioning abacking sheet on the preform beneath the dough prior to pressing the dieover the dough to thereby mold the backing sheet to the formed dough. 3.The process of claim 2 wherein the backing sheet has portions defining aplurality of holes to allow portions of the dough to extend through thebacking sheet.
 4. A preformed raw dough assembly, comprising:a) apaperboard preform having a top surface and a side wall extendingdownwardly from the top surface; b) a quantity of raw dough positionedon the preform and formed thereon into a desired shape, wherein portionsof the dough extend over the top surface and are locked onto the sidewall of the preform to secure the dough in the desired shape to thepreform.
 5. The preformed raw dough assembly of claim 4 furthercomprising a backing sheet having portions defining a plurality ofopenings therein, wherein the backing sheet is positioned between thepreform and the dough, and wherein the dough extends through saidbacking sheet holes.
 6. A process for forming dough on a paperboardpreform; the process comprising:a) positioning a paperboard preform on aconveyor within a platen having portions defining a side wall whichsurrounds the preform; b) positioning a perforated sheet of oven-safepaper on the preform; b) placing a quantity of raw dough on theperforated sheet, to be supported on the preform; c) positioning thedough on the preform beneath a die; d) pressing the die over the doughinto the platen to form the dough into a desired shape and to secure thedough to the preform; and e) freezing the formed dough on the preformwithout baking the dough.
 7. The process of claim 6 wherein the preformis substantially circular, and the dough is formed by the die into apizza crust with an upwardly extending rim.
 8. The process of claim 6wherein the sheet of oven-safe paper has portions defining a pluralityof holes to allow portions of the dough to extend through the sheet. 9.A frozen dough product assembly, comprising:a) an oven-safe paper sheethaving portions defining a plurality of holes; and b) a quantity offormed dough disposed on and engaged with the sheet, wherein theassembly of the dough and the sheet are positionable on a rack within anoven to permit baking of the dough and to restrict deformation of thedough by the rack.
 10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the formed doughhas a downwardly facing surface which is engaged with the sheet, andwherein the downwardly facing surface has an outer region whichsurrounds an inner region, and wherein the holes in the sheet arepositioned to expose a greater percentage of the inner region than ofthe outer region, to thereby disproportionately heat the inner regionwhen exposed to baking.
 11. A preformed dough assembly, comprising:a) asupportive preform having a top surface; b) an oven-safe sheetpositioned on the supportive preform and having portions defining aplurality of holes; and b) a quantity of dough positioned on the preformto overlie the oven-safe sheet and formed thereon into a desired shape,wherein potions of the dough extend over the top surface and are lockedonto the side wall of the preform to secure the dough in the desiredshape to the preform, and wherein the quantity of dough and sheet areseparable from the preform for baking within an oven.